Justice Department disputes account that House counsel was not told of the Omar search in time
United States Department of JusticeThe Justice Department's Office of Public Affairs, in an emailed reply to Dispute Index
Asked whether it disputes the account by Omar's lawyers that the House Office of General Counsel was not notified of the search until it was already public, the Justice Department said it disputes that and that it cannot comment publicly on many aspects of the investigation.
“We dispute that. DOJ cannot comment publicly on many aspects of the investigation at this time.”
Emailed statement
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We dispute that. DOJ cannot comment publicly on many aspects of the investigation at this time. But when we can, we the record will be clear.
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Federal agents search Ilhan Omar's home weeks before the election; Democrats allege political targeting
Homeland Security Investigations agents searched Rep. Ilhan Omar's Washington home on October 12, 2026, under a warrant the Justice Department says a judge authorized. Omar and House Democratic leaders call the search political intimidation timed before the midterm election. Trump says the matter is up to the Justice Department.
Source and context
Emailed statement
Emailed reply from the Justice Department to Dispute Index on notice to the House Office of General Counsel
We dispute that. DOJ cannot comment publicly on many aspects of the investigation at this time. But when we can, we the record will be clear.
About this source
The Justice Department's Office of Public Affairs sent this reply to a Dispute Index follow-up asking whether the department disputes the account by Omar's lawyers that the House Office of General Counsel was not notified of the search until it was already public, and when that office was notified. The link is to the Office of Public Affairs contact page.
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About this source
Describes the seven-page letter from Omar's attorneys, Amy Jeffress and Joshua Matz of Hecker Fink, to special assistant U.S. attorneys Michael Wheat and Alessandra Serano, including its demands and its account of the procedures the judge ordered.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Omar's lawyers wrote in their October 16 letter that the magistrate judge who approved the warrant ordered the agents to notify both Omar and the House Office of General Counsel, and that the General Counsel was not notified of the search until it was already a matter of public record. Dispute Index asked the Justice Department whether it disputes that account and, if so, when the House Office of General Counsel was notified.
After the quotation
The department did not say when the House Office of General Counsel was notified, and we could not verify when that happened. The reply added that the record will be clear once the department is able to comment.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is whether the federal search of Omar's home was politically motivated and improperly carried out, as Omar and her lawyers allege. The department disputes the lawyers' account that the House Office of General Counsel was not notified as the judge ordered, so we labeled it Challenged characterization. The closest competing label is Defended or excused; it loses because the reply gives no account of its own, such as when the office was notified, and does not argue that the search was justified. Its note that it cannot comment on many aspects of the investigation does not make it a decline, because it answered the question first.
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- Ilhan Omar
More from this case
Read the full caseObama says the administration is targeting Omar for her political views
“It is a basic principle of American democracy that the government can’t selectively target individuals simply because of their political beliefs or what they say. But that’s exactly what the Trump Administration is doing to Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. ... Federal agents have raided her home, confiscated personal records, and seized her phone — all to try and uncover a nonexistent smoking gun from 20 years ago that will somehow make their case.”Read statement
Justice Department official says no written policy bars investigative steps within 60 days of an election
United States Department of Justice
“There is no Department rule or policy that bars investigative or prosecutorial activity within 60 days of an election. The "60-day rule" is an informal practice, not written policy. ... The standard is purpose, not proximity to Election Day. Department policy does not require the Department to stop ongoing work during an election season.”Read statement
Star Tribune columnist Rochelle Olson calls on the administration to show its evidence
“It’s time for the Trump administration to show its work regarding Omar. If it has evidence of criminal behavior, lay it out and let Omar have her day in court. If there’s any truth to these claims, air them. Until then, this appears to be Trump unjustly trying to neutralize an opponent and disenfranchise her DFL constituents.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Justice Department disputes account that House counsel was not told of the Omar search in time". First published: 2026-10-19. Last updated: 2026-10-19. https://disputeindex.com/events/6083-asked-whether-it-disputes-the-account-by-omar